mrbadexample

Looking for a decent picture of Freeman ½d obverse 12, I searched for F322 as the only one to have this obverse. Can someone confirm my suspicion that this is actually F321? Or at least, not the F322 it purports to be? Cheers, Jon

Absolutely, so they were spent but not circulated. You can't find one with any proper wear. The level of wear seen on the wreath crowns surely means they circulated? I don't really buy this "pocket piece" thing other than accounting for very limited wear. I've carried a cleaned Jersey 1858 1/13d (i.e. a nice soft copper) about in my pocket for over a year in an attempt to wear the shine off, rattling about with keys and other coins etc, and whilst it did take the shine off a bit, there was no discernible wear. To wear one below EF would take decades, I think.

I remember lots of my mates spending the 1977 25p on sweets. They were certainly spent, but I never saw one come back in change.

I think the photo could be better - to me the light reflection made it look polished at first. Can you take some differently lit shots?

Another bit from Sweeney, after he records the purchases of the presses, says: "Certain additional equipment (engine, shafting and sundry machinery) was thereafter procured from Joseph Taylor, whose firm is known today as Taylor and Challen." Perhaps he did manage to acquire them from Taylor at some point, if not from the sale.

A possibility?

1. Yes, a penny. 2. As far as I understand it, Annand Smith & Co first issued their copper tokens on October 20th 1849. The original order was from the SOHO mint (SOHO had been removed - picture). Subsequent orders were from Heatons and made from modified dies obtained from the auction of SOHO's bits and pieces. Sweeney notes: "These tokens involved a reverse die that had been used by Boulton & Watt for Imperial pence back in 1806-7, a die that originally had the SOHO mark of the Boulton mint at the base of the Britannia design below the shield. It was a simple change for Heatons to make (involving an interesting coincidence of letters) to eradicate the SOHO mark and replace it with their own - an H&S for Heaton & Son." And yes - plain edge.

H&S (Heaton & Son) replaces SOHO:

This is from Andrews' Australasian Tokens & Coins, but no indication as to rarity that I can see. I've got a couple of the Annand Smith & Co. tokens as they were one of Heaton's first issues.

What would you like it to be Zo? I think it's a Freeman 22, 4+D but wouldn't be surprised if I was wrong.

Yeah, I know but I like a challenge. Thing is, if it is F317 then it's R16. If it was a penny that rare someone would still want it even in that state.

Given the number of people collecting 50ps, and the availability of information about them to non-collectors via the internet, do you think we will ever see (for example) a Kew Gardens 50p in Fine?

My copy of Freeman notes: "*New 1911 die pairings and variants of 1920 and 1924 exist, please see appendix IV" However, appendix IV skips from 1911 to 1970 with no mention of 1920 and 1924. Either I'm missing something, or the book is. Can anyone provide me with the details please? Cheers, Jon

Didn't leave much out, did he?

I can't see anything about the obverse to discount 9.

1874. I think this is F317: obverse 9 reverse K. I've not much to go on, but Freeman notes that "Usually the date numerals are widely spaced and low in the exergue". Is that what I'm seeing here?

Cheers Ian, I thought it was probably me! Not variants I need to be looking out for then...

My childhood dentist was Dr Pepper. I have been lectured at by a Dr Nurse. Dr P. Nurse, to be precise.

Yes, die clash. You get the same in early Jersey pennies. The lines are from the background of the shield. http://jerseycoins.com/pen13/Intel/misc/striations.htm

Quite right Paddy, free listings means that there's no downside for a seller listing worthless crap. However, on the flip side I reckon that many of our rarest finds would have remained unlisted if they charged fees.

A little bit. But have a cup of tea and it'll soon pass. Nice find.

Think I'd plump for a Una and Lion.

Very nice Mike. 🙂